Open-book holder



(No Model.)

L. L. D. ELDERKIN. OPEN BOOK HOLDER.

Pa tgnfped Oct 16, 1894.

\A/ITN E5555: INVENTUR: Milan. 5 3 3 M wwm 955M555 UNITED STATES f PATE T ()FEICE.

LESTER L. D. ELDERKIN, or Bosrottl MASSACHUSETTS.

OPEN-BOOK HOLDER.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 527,524, dated October 16,1894.

Application filed November 25. 1893. Serial No. 491.960. (No model).

. To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, Lnsrna L. D. ELDER- KIN, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Open-Book Holders, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has relation to devices for holding a book in open position so that it can be read or examined without the use of the hands.

It is the object of the invention to provide a contrivance of the kind mentioned which shall be simple and economicalof construction, and efficient in the highest degree for the purposes for which it is intended.

To these ends the improvement consists of an open book holder comprising in its construction a bar and spring fingers connected with the ends thereof for engaging the cover of the book, angular extensions of said spring fingers, and a spring-actuated bar for bearing on the open pages of the book, pivotally connected with the said angular extensions, all as I will now proceed to describe and claim.

Reference is to be had to the annexed drawings and to the letters marked thereon forming a part of this specification the same let- I ters designating the same parts or features as the case may be, wherever they occur.

Of the drawings-Figure l is a perspective view of the device complete, showing also by 3 ing at its ends the right-angular parts 17 I) constituting one pair of the spring-fingers to engagethe book cover. At theends ofthefingers b the wire is bentupward as at c c, and has loops at 01 formed therein, when it is again bent I downward parallel, or substantially so to the parts 0 c, constituting the parts e e, whence it is bent outward forming the other pair of spring fingers ff which lie substantially parallel to the fingers b b. This may be said to constitute one member of the device. The other member consists of the cross bar g havthe loops d 01, having portions therebeyond formed into springs z' z, and an extension of .said wire given a return bend as at jj, which return bends are pivoted upon the lower parts of the said loops. The ends beyond the piv otal points may be bent upward and inward to constitute fingers k k for holding a card or memorandum slip, as shown by dotted lines inFig. 1.

In use, the bar g will be raised and the spring fingers slipped down astride of the upper edges of the cover, the fingers ffbeing inside and the fingers b b and bar a on the back or outside. In this position the parts 0 0 will extend upwardly above the leaves of the book, so that the bar g may be folded down upon the open pages and hold the same in open position, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

The springs z' t' are constructed so as to downward when it is folded forward, and to hold it in raised position when folded back as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 3. t

The device is exceedingly simple, is easily applied and manipulated, and is efficient in the highest degree in holding abook in open position.

vention and described a way of constructing and using the same, though without attempt ing to set forth all of the forms in which it may be made or all the modes of its use, it is declared that what is claimed, is-

1. An open-book holder comprising in its construction the spring-fingers b b and f f, the straight bar a connecting the forward ends of the former, and adapted to lie against the book-cover the upwardly-turned portions from the rear of the spring-fingers, and a spring-pressed cross-bar pivotally connected with the upper ends of said upwardly-turned portions, as set forth.

I 2. In an open-book holder, a member formed of a continuous wire, comprising a bar designed to lie againstthe outer side of the book-cover, fingers springing from the ends of said bar, up-standing portions springing from said fingers, laterally extending loops Having thus explained the nature of the inmg right angular ends h h which extend over I operate with a tendency to press the bar 9 at the upper ends of said lip-standing portions, substantially vertical portions extending from said loops parallel with the said upstanding portions, and fingers extending from the lower ends of the said vertical portions and designed to lie against the inner side of the book-cover; and a spring-pressed crossbar pivoted to the said loops and designed to bear on the leaves of the book, substantially as described.

3. In an open-book holder, a supporting member having fingers to grasp the bookcover, and up-standing portions at the rear ends of the fingers; and a clamping member formed of a single wire comprising a bar for engaging the leaves of the book, arms at the ends of the bar, springs at the ends of the arms, and arms extending from said springs and pivoted to the up-standing portions of the supporting member.

4. In an open-book holder, a supporting arms, arms extending from said springs and pivoted to the upstanding portions of the supporting member, return bends by which the clamping member is pivoted to the supporting member, and card-holding fingers extending from said bends, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, this 18th day of November, A. D. 1893.

LESTER L. D. ELDERKIN.

Witnesses:

A. D. HARRISON, WALTER F. MoLEoD. 

